Common name: Petunia
Family:Solanaceae, Nightshade
Height x width: 8-15" x 18-36"
Growth rate: moderate
Foliage: alternate, broad ovate, 1½-3" long, simple, entire margins, stems and leaves covered with viscid (sticky) pubescence
Flowers: 2-4" funnel-shaped tube, edges entire to fringed, single to double, many colors either solid, bicolors or star pattern; sweet fragrance
Hardiness: annual
Soil: well-drained, will tolerate dry
Light: sun
Pests and problems: botrytis blight, stem rot, viruses, aphids, beetles, tarnished plant bug, scales, caterpillars, root knot nematode
Landscape habit, uses: massing, borders, containers, hanging baskets, groundcover, walls and rock gardens; mounded or trailing habits
Other interest: native to South America; genus name from colloquial name "petun" for tobacco to which it is related; very popular from wide choices, adaptability, bright color and ease of growth.
Other culture: some cultivars are self-cleaning, others need spent flowers removed (deadheading) for best show
Propagation: seeds ( 250,000 per ounce) sown indoors 8-10 weeks before planting out, cuttings of new patented cultivars especially trailing types
Species:
x hybrida (hi' bri-dah)--complex group of hybrids, originally crosses of axillaris and integrifolia; main categories:
(SM)Single Multiflora--many 2" flowers, disease tolerant
(SF)Single Floribunda--many 3" flowers, most disease tolerant; 'Summer Madness' in 1983 was first, good for massing
(DG)Double Grandiflora--large flowers only double, best in containers
(DM)Double Multiflora--many double flowers, popular novelties
(DF)Double Floribunda--like singles, only double
Cultivars: (most series also have a mix; many other single cultivars
exist not part of a series--check catalogs, greenhouses and garden stores
for these, only more popular ones are listed)
| Cultivars | group | color | other |
| Aladdin series | SG | 9 colors | early, wavy and fringed |
| 'Blue Danube' | DG | lavender | darker veins, 3-4" wide |
| 'Caprice' | DG | rose-pink | fringed, 3½-4" wide, basal branched |
| Carpet series | SM | 8 colors | doesn't lodge (fall apart) late summer |
| Celebrity series | SF | 24 colors | 2½-3" wide flowers, rain tolerant |
| Cloud series | SG | 6 colors | 4-5" wide,early, heavy ruffled, vigorous |
| Countdown series | SG | 14 colors | pure colors, 3½" wide, early |
| Daddy series | SG | 6 colors | ruffled, 4" wide, rain tolerant |
| Double Cascade series | DG | 3 colors | early, one veined |
| Double Madness series | DF | 4 colors | like Madness only double |
| Dreams series | SG | 4 colors | disease tolerant, uniform, 3-4" wide |
| 'Duet' | DG | salmon | bicolor with white, fringed, 3-4" wide |
| Eagle series | SG | 7 colors | early, compact 3" wide flowers |
| Falcon series | SG | 17 colors | compact, early, solids and veined, 3-4" wide |
| Fantasy series | SM | mix | 1½-2" wide, early |
| Flash series | SG | 11 colors | compact, basal branching, 3-4" wide flowers |
| Frost series | SG | 4 colors | bicolor with white edging, 3" wide |
| 'Heavenly Lavender' | DM | lavender | early, compact, 2½" wide, 1996AAS award |
| Highlight series | SG | 5 colors | compact, white throats, rain tolerant |
| Horizon series | SM | 2 colors | white throat bicolor, rain tolerant |
| Hulahoop series | SG | 4 colors | early, white edging |
| Madness series | SF | 20 colors | introduced in 1984, veined, solid, stars |
| Merlin series | SM | 8 colors | strong colors, 2" wide flowers |
| Picotee series | SG | 4 colors | bright colors with white edge, 3" wide, mounds |
| 'Pink Wave' | SG | pink | spreading, from seed, branched, good in pots |
| Polo series | SM | 3 colors | well-branched, 2" wide flowers |
| Primetime series | SM | 18 colors | solids, stars, veined 2¼" wide flowers |
| Prism series | SG | 3 colors | broad white throats, 3-4" wide |
| 'Purple Pirouette' | DG | violet | broad white edged, ruffled |
| 'Purple Wave' | SG | purple | spreading, from seed, good in pots |
| 'Rhapsody' | DG | burgundy | fringed, 3½" wide, 20" tall plants |
| 'Sonata' | DG | white | 3-4" wide, fringed |
| Storm series | SG | 3 colors | compact, 3" wide, rain tolerant, from Holland |
| Supercascade series | SG | 8 colors | 3½-5" flowers, best in containers |
| Supermagic series | SG | 10 colors | compact, ruffled 3-4" wide flowers |
| Tart series | DM | 5 colors | 2-2½" wide flowers, mounded habit |
| Ultra series ('Ultra Crimson Star') | SG | 12 colors | compact, low spreading, 3-4" wide flowers |
| 'Valentine' | DG | fiery red | 3" wide flowers |
Return to HGPO
course | PSS123 course
